TIPS FROM DR. KATALIN FRISCH

Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones. 

Water helps your body:

Keep a normal temperature.
Lubricate and cushion joints.
Protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues.
Get rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

Your body needs more water when you are:
In hot climates.
More physically active.
Running a fever.
Having diarrhea or vomiting.

Although there is no set recommendation for the amount of water everyone should have every day, we know the average adequate intake for total fluids (drinking water and beverages) is approximately 100 fluid oz (~13cups) for normal healthy young men and 74 fluid oz (~9cups) for normal healthy young women.
Most healthy people get an additional 18-24oz (2-3 cups) of water through foods such as fruits and vegetables.

Tips to Drink More Water:
Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
Freeze some freezer safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
Choose water over sugary drinks.
Opt for water when eating out. You’ll save money and reduce calories.
Serve water during meals.
Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water. This can help improve the taste.

Make sure your kids are drinking enough water too!
Hydration is associated with better brain functioning!
Studies show that many children in the United States do not drink enough water. In a recent study, from the University of Illinois, researchers found children with better hydration habits performed better during tasks requiring cognitive flexibility. Also, children showed improvements in their hydration levels and memory after consuming a higher amount of water (8cups/day) compared to those children having 2-3 cups/day.

Type 2 Diabetes is a disorder that is known for disrupting the way your body uses sugar (glucose). It also causes other problems with the way your body stores and processes other forms of energy such as fat.

All cells in the body need sugar to work normally. Sugar gets into the cells with the help of a hormone called insulin, which is made in the pancreas.

In the United States, approximately 90% of all diabetics have Type 2 diabetes. The early stage of Type 2 diabetes is treated with weight loss, exercise, and oral medications.

Type 1 Diabetes is a form of diabetes that results from the gradual destruction of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes presents in the early part of life (childhood or early adulthood) but can happen rarely when you are older. This type of diabetes is always treated with some form of insulin. Type 1 diabetes used to be called Juvenile Diabetes, but in the 21st century, due to the obesity epidemic, many children are also getting Type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes is diabetes that starts during pregnancy and can have adverse effects on the baby, the mother, and the pregnancy. This type of diabetes is usually treated with a strict diet and sometimes insulin. 

The CDC of the United States recommends screening for diabetes in individuals 45 years or older if they have the following risk factors:

• overweight
• first degree relative with diabetes
• sedentary lifestyle
• diabetes during pregnancy
• high-risk ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic, Eastern European Jews)
• other medical conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or high cholesterol
• screening for diabetes should also be done at any age if you have any of the following symptoms:
• needing to urinate frequently
• feeling excessively thirsty all the time
• blurry vision

In addition, all pregnant women are tested for diabetes in the second trimester of pregnancy

Your doctor will recommend and order one or more of the following tests:

• Fasting blood sugar (normal is less than 100)
• Random blood sugar (normal is between 70-140)
• Hemoglobin A1c (normal is less than 5.7%)—this measures your blood sugar average over the past 2-3 months
• Oral glucose tolerance test (this is mostly done during pregnancy)

If you would like more information please check out the following resources:

American Diabetes Association

(800)-DIABETES (800-342-2383)

www.diabetes.org

Hormone Health Network

www.hormone.org